Disconnecting switch



INVE TO 42.71 642% M26 7(' ATTORNES.

3 Sheet -Sheet l A. M. DE BELLIS ET AL DISCONNECTING SWITCH Filed Aug.26, 1926 Feb. 17, 1931.

Feb. 17, 1931. A. M. DE BELLIS ET AL 3 5 Q I DI SCONNECTING SWITCH medAug. 2a, 1926 s Sheets-$heet 2 :4. W I BY ll %@TT0RNEYS.

INVENTORS Feb. 17, 1931. A. M. DE BELLIS ET AL 1,792,896

DISCONNECTING SWITCH Filed Aug. 26, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 77 hf a 7 BY MA TTQRNZYS.

INVENTOR5 Patented Feb. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE A no in. DEBELLIS, or SUMMIT, NEW JERSEY,'AND WALLACE .B. KIRKE, or

v 'BRONXVILLE, NEW YORK DISCONNEGTING swrron' Application filed. August26, 1926.. Serial no. 131,581.

Our invention relates particularly to dis connecting switches that areadapted for outdoor service to interrupt high-voltage transmission linesindependently of the oil-im- B mersed or other indoor circuit breakers.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a switch of thecharacter indicated which is of simple, and rugged construction, has butfew parts, takes up but a minimum 1 amount of space, has no moving partsthat are liable to be affected by weather. conditions so as to interferewith their operation, and is quick and reliable in operation. v Theseveral features of the invention,

whereby the above mentioned and other objects may be attained, will beclearly'understood fromthe following description andaccompanylngdrawlngs, 1n WhlCht ,Figu're'l 1S asectlonal elevation,taken on 1 the line 11 of Fig. 2, of a switch embodying the features ofthe invention in their preferred form, the switch being shown in closedposition by full lines and in open position by broken lines, and thesupporting structure for the switch being indicated by broken lines;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation, taken on' the line 22 of Fig. 1, withthe movable switch member shown in partly open position and with partsbroken away; n

Fig. 3 is aplan view of the switch with the movable switch member in theposition shown in Fig. 2;"

Fig. 4: is a sectional view corresponding to the lower portion of Fig.1' but showing'another form of operating mechanism forthe switch; and VI Fig. 51s a sectional elevation taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4. V

The switch as illustrated in the drawings is mounted on a horizontalbase 2 which is made up of angle irons or beams and mounted upon asuitable supporting structure 4..

20 which are adapted to receive ablade 22 3O untilthey are separated asuflicient disand rigidly connected together to permit them to be swungsimultaneously to move their upper ends toward and from the upper endsof the stationary columns 6. To provide for this, a depending ear 10 issecured to-the underside of the lowermost insulator of each column 8,and extends downwardly between upstanding cars 12 secured on the switchbase 2. A square rock-shaft 14 extends through the ears 10 and 12associated with both columns. The rock shaft is rigidly secured to theears 10, and is pivotally mounted in the upstanding ears 12 by meansofsle'eves 13 on its ends that are mounted toturn in the ears 12. Uponturning the rockshaft 14 in the opposite directions, by meanshereinafter described, the pair of columns 8 may be swung simultaneouslyabout the axis of the shaft as desired. 1

A contact member 16 is secured on the upper end each of the columns "6,and a contact member 18 issecured on the upper end of each of thecolumns 8. Each contact member 16 is provided 'with upstanding clips ontheopposedcontact member 18 when the 7 column carrying the latter memberis swung inwardly; The contact members 16 have the 1 ends of line leads24 connected therewith, re-

spectively; A-rigid tubular conductor 26 has its ends welded orotherwise firmly secured in apertures in the contact members 18 so as toelectrically connect them, and also to secure them rigidly together. Thecontact members 16 are'pro vided with" arcing horns or rods 28vertically arranged, and the contact members 18 are provided with arcinghorns or rods 30 which are suitably inclined so as to cross the rods 28substantially midway between their ends when the switch is closed M Whenthe switch is closed, the movable cont-act blades 22 and the tubularconductor 26 bridge the gap between the line leads 24. Upon swinging thecolumns 8 outwardly to open the switch, as the blades 22 disengage fromthe stationary contact clips 20, thecircuit is made through the arcinghorns 28 and tance to prevent the arcs from holding, thus breaking thecircuit.

Any suitable means may be employed for operating the rock shaft 14 toopen and close the switch. This operating means as shown in Figs. 1, 2and 3 comprises an arm 32 which has one end secured on the rock-shaft 14and its other end pivotally connected with alink 34 which in turn hasone end connected by a link or red 36 with the free end of an arm 38secured on the upper end of a vertical shaft 40. This shaft 40 isadapted to be turned to open and close the switchand to be locked inopen and closed position by means of a hand-operated lever 42 suitablyconnected with the lower end of the shaft. 7 Any desired number ofsimilar switch units may be connected up so as to be simultaneouslyoperated. Fig. 1 shows a link or rod 44 having one end connected withthe rear end of the short link 34, the other end of the rod (not shown)being adapted to be connected with the forward end of the correspondingshort link of the next switch unit.

Preferably, suitable counterbalancing means is employed for the movableinsulator columns 8. As shown in Figs. 1 and 52-, the pivoted supportingear or block 10 of each of the columns is provided with a depending arm46, to the lower end of which is pivotally connected one end of ahorizontal rod 48 that extends through guiding apertures in bearingplates 50 secured on the switch base 2. The rod 48 is provided with acentrally located collar 52, and counter-balancing springs 54 are coiledabout the rod and interposed between opposite sides of said collar andthe plates 50. p

The switchoperating mechanism illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 comprises asegmental worm wheel 56 secured on the rock-shaft 14 and operativelyengaged by a worm 58 se cured. on a shaft 60 which extends throughbearings 62 on the sides of a housing 63 which encloses the worm andworm wheel. The forward end of the worm shaft 60 is connected by asuitable coupling 64 with the rear end of a shaft 66. The other end ofthis shaft (36 is connected with the upper end of a vertical shaft 68 bymeans of bevel gears 70 secured on said ends of the shafts,respectively. The lower end of the shaft 68 is connected with anoperating shaft 72 by means of bevel gears 74 secured on said shafts. Byturning this shaft 72 it will be apparent that the rock-shaft 14 may beoperated to open and close the switch as desired, the worm and wormwheel connection serving to lock the movable insulator columns in theposition moved. The operating shaft 7 2 may be operated by means of ahand wheel 76, or, if desired, it may be operated by means of anelectric motor or other power operated means.

The housing 63 serves as a protecting covering for the segmental wormwheel and worm, and the bevel gears 70 and 74 are shown enclosed bysimilar housings 7 8.

Any desired number of switch units may be simultaneously operated bysuitably connecting them with the worm shaft 60. In Fig. 4 a coupling 79is shown connecting the rear end of the worm shaft 60 with ashaft SO,which in turn may be connected with the worm shaft of the next switchunit.

Instead of counter-balancing the insulator columns 8 by means of springsas .above described, this may be accomplished by means of weights 84which are suitably mounted on the lower end of arms 86 having theirupper ends secured on the rock-shaft 14.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that our improved switch permitsquick operation and the double break insures high operating safety. Thesimplicity and ruggedness of construction particularly well adapts theswitch for outdoor service in highvoltage transmission lines. There areno fiexible or swivel connections among the current .arrying parts ofthe switch and no operating mechanism above the insulators which wouldbe liable to be affected by ice, and accurate adjustment of parts is notrequired. The tilting insulator columns, which are the only moving partsof the switch proper, are properly counterbalanced and are rigidlysecured together at their lower ends by the operating shaft and at theirupper ends by the conducting rod 26, and thus very little mechanicalstrain is placed upon them. Also, the operating mechanism is such as topermit a plurality of switch units to be connected to operate togetherwithout placing undue strain on any of the parts thereof which mightcause the switches of the several phases to fail to operate at the sametime.

As will be evident to those skilled in the art, our invention permitsvarious modifications without departing from the spirit thereof or thescope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A switch of the class described for highvoltage lines having, incombination, two pairs of insulator columns, contact members mounted oncorresponding ends of said columns, respectively, means for pivotallymounting the columns of one pair to permit them to be turned about acommon axis adjacent to their other ends to move their contact membersinto and out of engagement with the contact members, respectively, ofthe other pair, and a member rigidly connecting the free ends of saidmovable columns and electrically connecting the contact members thereof.

2. A switch of the class described for high voltage lines having, incombination, two pairs of insulator columns, contact membersrespectively mounted on corresponding ends of said columns, a rodrigidly connecting said ends of one of said pairs and electricallyconnecting the contacts thereof, a shaft upon which the other end of thelast-mentioned pair of columns are mounted and rigidly con nected, andmeans for turning said shaft to tip the pair of columns carried therebyto move their contacts into and out of engagement with the contactsmounted on the other pair of columns.

3. A switch of the class described for high voltage lines having, incombination, two

7 pairs of insulator columns arranged in generally upright position withthe columns of the two pairs arranged opposite each other and spacedapart, contact members respectively mounted on the upper ends of saidcolumns, means rigidly connecting the upper ends of the columns of oneof said pairs and electrically connecting the contacts thereof, V

a shaft upon which the lower ends of the last mentioned columns arerigidly mounted, and means for turning said shaft to tip the pair ofcolumns carried thereby to move their contacts into and out ofengagement with the contacts mounted on the other pair of columns. V V

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specificationthis 20th dayof August, 1926.

ALDO M. DE BELLIS. WALLACE B. KIRKE.

